Challenging the snake-oil salesmen: a critique of British approaches to soft power

Gary D. Rawnsley

Research output: Journal PublicationArticlepeer-review

9 Citations (Scopus)

Abstract

Soft power is one of the most familiar, yet misunderstood concepts in international relations. It is often used to describe cultural attraction and familiarity with a place in the belief that ‘to know us is to love us’. However, this paper calls for a reappraisal of soft power to focus more on political culture and behaviour–the power of example. Drawing on the experience of the United Kingdom the paper suggests that if the country wishes to confront and manage the challenges it now faces, including the uncertainty of Brexit, then a new understanding of soft power is required.

Original languageEnglish
Pages (from-to)1-17
Number of pages17
JournalJournal of International Communication
Volume24
Issue number1
DOIs
Publication statusPublished - 2 Jan 2018
Externally publishedYes

Keywords

  • Brexit
  • British foreign policy
  • Soft power
  • public diplomacy

ASJC Scopus subject areas

  • Communication

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